‘West Wind Blows’ was a massive hit in Japan. It is the opening track of the CD titled ‘Cry Wolf’ which was released only in Japan in 1989

Originally named Heroes, Cry Wolf was formed in the San Francisco East Bay Area with Tim Hall (vocals), Steve McKnight (guitar), Phil Deckard (bass), John Freixas (drums) and JC Crampton (Keyboards) in the mid-1980s.

In 1986, the band moved to Los Angeles and started working the Hollywood club circuit, soon thereafter recruiting Hall’s friend Paul Cancilla on drums. Soon after, keyboardist JC Crampton left the band, and they were forced to change the band’s name. A contest was held in the local BAM Magazine, with the person(s) coming up with the winning name winning Mötley Crüe/Whitesnake concert tickets. The name “Cry Wolf” was chosen out of hundreds of entries.

Looking to set themselves apart from the thousands of other bands flooding into Los Angeles in the late ‘80s, the band gave away their four-song demo to anyone willing to sign their mailing list. Soon, however, the demo was garnering international attention. Kelv Hellrazer (“Metal Forces” magazine) described the four song demo the best he’d ever heard, and further stated “I know it’s all been said before but I kid you not. Cry Wolf almost defy description. The legend begins here!”. Billboard magazine even recognized Cry Wolf as “One of the top five unsigned bands in the world” (The only other American band being the then unknown Pantera).

The success of the demo, along with their growing reputation as one of most energetic and powerful live bands playing in Los Angeles, Cry Wolf was given the unprecedented invitation to tour Japan in February 1989 as an “unsigned” band (releasing their original demo as a limited-edition “Red Vinyl” EP via Monster Records). This was short-lived, however, as the band was promptly offered a recording contract from Epic/Sony on the night of their first show of their tour, which by then had completely sold out.

In September 1989, the band returned to Japan for a month-long sold-out tour to support their critically acclaimed self-titled debut on Epic/Sony, which featured the Beatles song “I Am The Walrus” and the immensely popular “West Wind Blows”, a hit video on MTV Japan.

1. Tooth & Nail
2. When Heaven Comes Down
3. Into The Fire
3. Kiss Of Death
4. Shadows Of Life
5. The Maze
6. Long Way Home
7. Breaking The Chains
8. Unchain The Night
9. Nothing Left To Say
10. I Will Remember
11. Alone Again
12. Mr. Scary
13. It’s Not Love